


Prayers that were Answered

by RavensChrome



Series: A Study of an Angel [1]
Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Competent!Faris, DQXI Rarepair Jam, Eventual Romance, Flirting, Implied Polygamy, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Act 1 Spoilers, Near Death Experience, The Thief and Princes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24219490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavensChrome/pseuds/RavensChrome
Summary: Sometimes, prayers are heard and angels do descend. Prince Faris experienced his own intervention and never took it for granted.
Relationships: Prince Faris (Dragon Quest XI)/ Camus | Erik, Prince Faris/Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI)
Series: A Study of an Angel [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965166
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	Prayers that were Answered

**Author's Note:**

> Rarepair Week!

His life changed at twelve years old in the middle of the Celestial Sands. He lost an argument with his father in not attending the training trip with their soldiers and found himself lost in the sandy dunes. A dust storm bowled over the horizon as they were approaching and somehow he found himself alone.

Faris was lucky that he managed to find the tunnel system towards the open sands or else he might've let himself be buried with how the sand stung against his skin. He should've wore longer sleeves and wore his shawl tighter, but then, if this was an actual sandstorm instead of a dust storm, he really might've been buried alive.

But he still remembers being constantly pelted by the sand even with the safety of the tunnels. There were too many openings for the winds to pass through and the most he could've done was huddle into a crevice in the rocky walls with his flimsy cape to cover as much skin as possible.

 _This is my punishment,_ Faris thought, _for not holding up my royal duties, isn't it?_

It was just before the sun started setting, evening came and that's when the winds picked up harshly. A mistake in planning on their part because it's a very known fact that dawn and dusk times always makes the winds shift. The first breeze was always a warning for their citizens to seek shelter inside the walls of Gallopolis.

The time within those tall walls must've made them forget.

So when the winds did die and gave way to night, the cold is the next thing that was making Faris quiver.

And if it wasn't the cold, it was the monsters that slowly stalked passed him unaware of his being.

 _Please, Goddess above, Yggdrasil's Light, Spirits of the Desert, please give me one more chance._ Faris prayed desperately. _I beg of you, I promise I'll redeem myself and take my duties seriously from now on._

It felt futile, the silence and stillness was all that he had left but the cold made it hard.

He wanted to lash out and make his own way back to Gallopolis, follow the glowing city lights in the distance. But the monsters made it hard.

Between the chilling night and the Spitzfires that roamed, it made Faris afraid for his life for the very first time. Nothing like the times he was nearly kicked by a horse when first learning to ride or holding a heavy iron sword for the first time. Being pushed head first into training with such heavy expectations made him runaway from them.

It was all catching up now.

_I don't want to die._

It was a thought that was accompanied by a haze of drowsiness. Something that will surely make the night more bearable. A small comfort that the young prince took comfort in.

“Oh shit, a kid?!”

“Wha-?”

It was strange, that the angel cursed as much as he did. But then who was Faris to judge when he wasn't so princely as he acted.

“Kid, come on, you have to stay with me or you might not wake up.” The angel sounded desperate. “At least long enough for me to get us to the campsite.”

The last thing he remembers was the warmth of the fire, but it was accompanied by the ever blue of an oasis that was on the angel's being. His hair and eyes were something ethereal, a vibrant colour that was too pure to be of this world. The concern and worry lines were also far more genuine than his own parents have ever shown him. Flitting through luxuries and in a world that he couldn't possibly understand.

But there was a level of understanding that Faris can feel. Even without proper words, this otherworldly being was probably the closest he's ever felt with somebody.

It was fitting of Yggdrasil's servant, Her mercy in the form of someone that showed him what exactly he was missing within the palace. Her angel to guide him back to the path he was so afraid to take.

A kindness that was long gone the next morning, he woke to his soldiers shouting at him in their own worries.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Nobody believes him when he tells his story of his angel but that was okay. He's never forgotten, the second chance that was given and he threw it all into training everything he can. The next time he meets his angel, he wanted to show that he wasn't a wasted life like the life he was living before.

It wasn't a smooth transition, his first year was comical at best and cringe worthy at worse, but he wasn't going to let those small hiccups get in his way. Faris ignored all comments and criticism that were whispered and let his dramatics flare out in response.

And instead of the heavy guilt, he felt free. That he can be dramatic as much as he wants because he's now earning that right to posture. Be able to feel the smile on his face when he waves to the citizens and not feel like a fraud.

It felt good, this second chance was everything that he should've been doing when he was younger. The motivation that he was lacking from then was now being used to make up for the lost time and even discovering things about himself that he probably never find out if he kept his old ways.

Confidence lead him to branching out, discovered that he was more adept with a spear than a sword. Discovered that he has a small talent in support magic when actually giving mind to conversations with passing travelers and the circus troupe. And he's actually competent in strategy.

He was still sub par in horse riding though, but at least he's able to ride to get to where he needs. None of the fancy tricks that the racers have. He's barely able to hold on to dear life when riding with the Great Sylvando when all his other tutors all but given up on him in the skill. The jester overheard one of those conversations and just took him under his wing.

Truly, Yggdrasil heard his prayers all those years ago.

But today was another life changing moment. Another turn that can only be for the better.

“You're here.” Faris let a stupid grin over take him. “You're here.”

“Uh, do I know you?”

“Oh!” Faris realized that he's stepped a little too close to his angel. “I'm sorry, that was rude of me, and I suppose you wouldn't remember me after all those years.”

“Wait, you know him?” A little girl in red scrutinized him. “ _Him_ of all people?”

“But of course!” Faris stretched out an arm towards his angel. “He saved me from the perilous sands years ago! I wouldn't be here today if he didn't come when he did!”

“Wait, you're that kid that I saved?!”

Faris felt his grin getting stupider at the confirmation, but he didn't care. He's already recognized his flaws and accepted them for all their worth. He's a fool, was a fool that ran away from his problems and became a fool with his silly dramatics. He knows his people think him goofy with his lack of dignity as a prince, but he knows they love him for being so easy to speak to.

He still can't ride a horse with the grace of those that enter the races, but at least he knows the basics. That in itself was a respectable accomplishment for all the pains he went through.

“That's right, it is I!” The prince took his angel's hand and kissed it gently. “Since that day on the doorstep of death, my life changed because of you. For the longest time I thought you an angel that descended from the heavens above with how you disappeared.”

“An angel, _him_?”

“But to know now that you have a mortal body on this plane of existence, please, I must know your name!”

“It's Erik.” He tugged his hand away and took a step back. “And, uh, you're welcome?”

To know that his angel had a mortal coil made him want to burst in joy. That decades did not have to pass before he would be able to meet him again. The oasis blue on his person was still so vibrant and he wonders how he missed the moonlit skin.

Faris wanted to serenade and wax poetry, but there's a better time for that.

“Erik.” He happily repeated. “Please, let me repay you somehow, ask me anything that's within my grasps and I'll give it to you. I could do you a thousand favours and it still wouldn't make up a fraction of what you did for me that day.” He stepped forward and took both hands this time. “Let me shower you with an appreciation that not even the Spirits of the Desert will have ever seen.”

Being this close, Faris noticed that Erik was just slightly shorter than him. A pleasant discovery.

“Alright, alright!” The little girl pushed them both apart rather forcefully. “You can look in each other's eyes later, but we're actually here on business!” She put her hands to her hips. “If anything, we could cash in one of those 'thousand favours' right now actually.”

“Oh yes, we do need the help.” The taller woman in green nodded.

Erik retreated and Faris didn't mind. He knows his forward approaches tend to put people off, but they would always come around in the end. What he can't help but notice was how he specifically retreated behind another man in purple.

He was just a little taller with a similar build to Faris with probably more muscle. The sword on his back and the protective posture he now took said everything he needed to know about him. He definitely was a better horseback rider than Faris was.

And to know that this man was also the Luminary? _Fascinating_.

But then, he's not surprised that his angel was help guiding Yggdrasil's chosen. It seemed only natural that he did.

Faris wanted to know more.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

“I am terribly sorry that you ended up helping Gallopolis when it should've been I who should be helping you.”

“It's- it's fine. Really.”

Serena nodded. “It's not your fault that a terrible monster has been wreaking havoc upon your people, it's only natural that we can help when we can.”

“I still give you my sincerest apologies.” Faris sighed to the ground. “With father being as harried as he is, I was not able to make him listen to your most urgent quest.”

“What matters is that we're here to protect the innocent from the nasty monster.” Sylvando clapped his hands. “Between all of us, I think we have the best chances to finally put that terror down once and for all.” He looked at Faris specifically. “Maybe I'll finally will able to witness our prince's skills in real action.”

“Ha ha!” Faris waved him off. “You flatter but it is no secret that you best our finest knights in swordsmanship! But you are right, I see no other outcome than our victory! Today will be the day that elusive monster will finally be hunted down!”

“I'm still trying to figure out how we went from Erik being an angel to this monster raid.” Veronica muttered.

There was a suffering look from Erik before he snuck away. It was a look that he's developed from being called an angel and a small part of Faris couldn't help but internally swoon at it. For as much as he was calm and collected for most of their time together, colour showed very nicely against the white skin.

It was a stark contrast to the cursing that he's remembered. It was a nice side to see beneath the gruff exterior. A little guarded, but Faris was never deterred when faced something similar. He was a prince who's faced countless councilors, beady-eyed merchants, and other unpleasantry due to his lack of decorum.

But what was decorum when he can apply everything he knows from his tutors in a manner that was most effective for him?

“Ah, I suppose we must take our rest now before it gets too late into the night.” Faris stated before getting up and turning to his men. “I shall be by the waters momentarily, fetch me when I am needed.”

The few soldiers that came nodded before getting comfortable in their sleeping mats. He walked off with his usual pep in his step to wipe away the oils and dirt on his face and get a drink. The past few days have been his best and he wasn't going to let rocky beginnings slow him down.

One such rocky beginning sat near the water's edge. The one that his angel was now guiding, Eleven, was alone and seemed to be in thought. One that shielded Erik the few times that he needed to hide and the first to be by his side.

A worthy companion. Someone that Faris knows he will get along with.

“Hello!” Faris ignored the startled reaction and plopped right next to him. “It is a fine night, don't you agree? The sands hardly blew during the evening and the night isn't as chilled, good fortune is upon us!”

Eleven just stared wide-eyed and maybe a little frazzled if Faris was reading him correctly. He was a quiet fellow with quieter expressions, but the prince knows what kind of person he was with just his actions alone. They speak loudly, boldly, and far more clearly than words that can be spoken.

He was ready to defend, the swords he wield and the shield he raises says that and more. His talent in magic is wide even if it didn't compare to Veronica's or Serena's. But most of all, there was a heart that Faris could relate.

“I was going to freshen up for the night, but the opportunity to talk with one such as yourself must be taken!” Faris leaned in close. “I must ask, how is it that you and Erik met? It must've been a stroke of fate that brought you two together. Yggdrasil's guidance, I've found, shows in the most unlikely of places.”

Eleven still just stared wide-eyed and maybe a little dazed. It was a little endearing compared to the protective hostility he aimed towards him. Faris gave himself a pat on the back for that.

“I must admit, my experience as terrifying as it was, it was the best thing to happen to me.” Faris told him. “I was a coward, a budding fraud, a pillock that would probably trick gullible passerbys into doing ridiculous acts to save my own skin.

“After that though, I was ready to truly embrace what was given to me. It was a hardship to change the way I lived my life, but then I realized that I didn't need to change how I lived life. Why change your favourite foods when you can simply add the spices needed, no?”

This time a thoughtful look relaxed on Eleven's features. It was a much more better expression compared to the ones before.

He was a curious fellow, but he's starting to see why Erik prefers Eleven's companionable silence. There were very few people that were open-minded and willing to just listen to the woes of others. By now, people were looking to escape from his ramblings, not that Faris blamed them.

“Seeing Erik again has me smitten.” Faris suddenly declared and Eleven reacted just as he thought as he would. “It's the same for you, yes? Your paths must've crossed similar to mine, it must have.”

“W-what?” Eleven sputtered, the loudest Faris has heard him. “I- I don't like him like that!”

“Surely you jest?” Faris poked him in his chest. “Fate struck fast for you as it did for me, did it not?”

There was conflict on Eleven's face, but then Faris wonders if Eleven has trouble grasping emotions the same as he expresses them.

He can work with this. This was very much workable.

“You know, in Gallopolis, we do take in more partners if the participants are willing.” Faris grinned at the shocked flush he was given. “We both can admire our angel together. I think I would like to get to know you as well as Erik. You are a comrade in both blade and heart after all.”

Faris was a loving man, and there was no way he wouldn't open his arms to another with similar feelings.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah... Faris' got game. Somehow.
> 
> But yeah, in the middle east, polygamy is allowed. In modern times it’s looked downed upon especially by women but it works here in the fic since it’s not.


End file.
